Un espacio de cultivo urbano en al-Andalus: Madîna Turtûsa (Tortosa) antes de 1148

The aim of this paper is to identify what types of farming and shepherding existed around the al-Andalus city of Tortosa, how they developed and what varieties of plants were cultivated there. The impact of the feudal conquest of the city by the Christians in 1148 is also examined. For these purposes a rich post-conquest body of documentation has been examined and archaeological work has been carried out. The archaeological survey followed the method of hydraulic archaeology, and carpological remains were identified in the study of sediments from several archaeological excavations in the urban area of Tortosa. A significant level of coincidence was found in a comparison of the three types of records (textual, spatial, and carpological). Furthermore, the areas in which the various vegetal species were cultivated have been identified precisely. Along the River Ebro, to the north of the Arab city, was an irrigated orchard. In this area, fruit trees and vegetables were cultivated thanks to water wheels that drew from wells. To the south of the city, a large meander in the river defined an area known in written documentation as Les Arenes. This was drained and transformed into land for cereals and vineyards. According to the documents, a large marshy meadow is known to have existed further south and was used for shepherding flocks.